Lesson 3: Creating a Positive School Culture

Introduction:
School culture matters. This influences to the great
extent how well students perform. School culture is a
creation of all people in school and in the community
especially the school heads. It can be positive or negative.
It can facilitate or adversely affect learning. A school
community must therefore strive to create a positive
culture.

Learning Outcomes:

At the end of this lesson, the students must have:

 explained the meaning of school culture;

 discussed how school culture affects learning; and
 cited ways by which you can contribute to the building of positive
culture.

Activity – Let’s Read These

 Here are twelve norms of school culture where people and programs
improve. Study them.

1.Collegiality 7. Appreciation, recognition

2. Experimentation 8. Caring, celebration, humor

3. High Expectations 9. Involvement in decision making

4. Trust and Confidence 10. Protection of what is important

5. Tangible support 11. Traditions

6. Reaching out to the knowledge base 12. Honest, open communication

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 Analysis – Let’s Analyze
1. Which of the twelve elements of a positive culture were
illustrated by the given episodes vignettes? Which element was
illustrated by describing the opposite?

2. Is there any element left out? If there is can you supply an episode or
a vignette? A vignette is a short description of an episode in school
like the 9 given above.

ABSTRACTION: Let’s Conceptualize

Eleven (11) vignettes in the first part of the lesson give a concrete picture of
a positive school culture.

Vignette Norm of School Culture Illustrated

1 High expectation
2 Honest and open communication
3 Tangible support; caring, celebration
4 Involvement in decision making; protection of what is important
5 Trust and confidence traditions
6a Collegiality; honest, open communication
6b Collegiality; experimentation; reaching out to the knowledge
bases; appreciation, recognition
7 Collegiality; traditions
8 Tangible support; protection of what is important;
10 Reaching out to the knowledge base
11 Appreciation and recognition
12 Protection of what is important
(Source: www.ascd.org/ascd/pdf/siteASCD/...project-based-teaching –sample-chapters.pdf.)

Item #9 does not illustrate positive culture, specifically honest and open
communication.

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 After having read the vignettes, by this time you have an idea on what school
culture is. All of the vignettes are manifestations of school culture.

The Meaning of School Culture

School culture is one of the most complex and important concepts in

education (Schein, 1985). It generally refers to the beliefs, perceptions,
relationships, attitudes and written and unwritten rules that shape and influence
every aspect of how a school functions. However, it also encompasses more concrete
issues such as physical and emotional safety of students, the orderliness of the
classroom and public spaces or degree to which a school embraces racial, ethnic,
linguistic and cultural diversity.
According to Spacey, school culture consists of norms and shared experiences
that evolve over school’s history. In fact Scott and Marzano (2014) state that “school
culture is reinforced by norms, expectations and traditions, including everything from
dress codes to discipline systems to celebrations of achievement. Therefore, it may
be described as the character of a school that gives school qualities beyond its
structures, resources and practices. They are “built through the everyday business of
school life. It is the way business is handled that both forms and reflects the
culture.” (Sophier, J. 1985).

Culture as a Social Construct

Culture is a social construct not a genetic construct. This means that the
school culture is, therefore, something that we do not inherit or pass on through the
genes. It is something that we create and shape. It is shaped by everything that all
people in school see, hear, feel and interact with. It is a creation of the school head,
teachers, parents, non-teaching staff students and community.

School Climate and School Culture

These terms are frequently

used interchangeably but school
climate is more relational; it is
illustrated by the attitudes and
behaviors of the school staff and is
focused on the style of the school’s organizational system. School climate refers to
the school’s effects on students, including teaching practices, diversity and the
relationships among administrators, teachers, parents and students. School climate is
driven by and reflected in daily interactions of staff, administration, faculty, students
support staff and the outside community.

School culture is a deeper level of reflection of shared values, beliefs, and

traditions between staff members. School culture refers to the way teachers and
other staff members work together and the set of beliefs, values and assumptions
they share. (www.ascd.org./research). School culture is a broader term and so is
inclusive of school climate.

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The Role of School Culture in Learning

School culture matters. Research confirms the central role of culture to school
success. School culture can be positive or negative or toxic. A positive school culture
fosters improvement, collaborative decision making, professional development and
staff and student learning. A negative culture fosters the opposite.

Elements of a Positive Cultures

A positive school climate is characterized by the following:

1. Collegiality – The school atmosphere is friendly. You work in an atmosphere

where responsibility and authority are shared by everyone. You can be yourself. You
have not to put your best forward to impress others. The school head does not
throw his/her weight. He/she does not make his/her authority felt by his/her
colleagues.

2. Experimentation- The atmosphere encourages experimentation and so will

welcome mistakes as part of the learning process. No student, no teacher gets
punished for a mistake. Mistakes are not intended.

3. High expectations – It has been said one’s level of achievement is always lower
than one’s level of aspiration. So set high expectations for high achievements.

4. Trust and confidence – Students, teachers, school heads and parents relate
well and work well when relationships are solidly built on trust and confidence. In
fact, honest and open communication (#12 in this list) is possible only when there is
trust and confidence in each other in the school community.

5. Tangible support – Everyone in the school community gets concrete support for
the good that they do. Support comes in not just in words but in action. School head
sees to it that LCD’s in the classrooms are functioning.

6. Reaching out to the knowledge base – Teachers care to grow professionally

to update themselves on content knowledge and pedagogy, the first domain in the
Phil. Professional standards for Teachers.

7. Appreciation and recognition – Certainly words of appreciation and recognition

make classroom climate highly favorable. A reminder to teachers: “You are not made
less when you praise others. Instead, you become magnamimous. So don’t be stingy
with your sincere praise.

8. Caring, celebration, humor –Kids don’t care what you know until they know
that you care. They don’t listen to teacher when teacher doesn’t care. It may be
good to remind teachers that many of students, especially those who struggle, don’t
receive nearly enough positive feedback in the classroom or in their personal lives.

9. Involvement in decision making – Involving others who are concerned with

decisions to be made enhances sense of ownership. They also feel important.

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10. Protection of what is important- What schools consider important must form
part of their tradition and so must be protected by all means. Ex. CLAYGO because
the school considers nutrition and health and cleanliness as important.
11. Tradition – A school must have an intentional culture-based program on shared
values, beliefs, and behaviors. This strengthens sense of community. A truly positive
school culture is not characterized simply by the absence of gangs, violence or
discipline problems but also by the presence of a set of norms and values that focus
school community’s attention on what is most important and motivate them to work
hard toward a common purpose.

12. Honest and open communication - No one gets ostracized for speaking up
his mind. The atmosphere is such that everyone is encouraged to speak his mind
without fear of being ostracized. The agreement at every discussion is “agree to
disagree.”

Shared Norms: Teacher and Student Norms

Shared norms for both teachers and students contribute to a positive school
culture. Boss and Larmer (2018) share teacher norm and student norms to
contribute to a fair and an engaging learning environment, a characteristics of a
positive school culture. They check on the following norms each week.

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 Application: Let’s Apply

Direction: Answer this in your activity/reflection notebook.

1. Based on your experiences, give at least 10 school practices that don’t

contribute to positive culture.

2. Does school culture affect student learning? Explain

3. Cite at least 3 ways by which you, as a future teacher, can contribute to a

positive school culture.

Assessment – Let’s Check for Understanding

Direction: Do this task in your activity/reflection notebook. Choose the letter of the
correct answer.

1. Which is TRUE of school culture?

a. Passed on like a hereditary trait
b. Created by the school head and other stakeholders
c. Has insignificant effect on student performance
d. Cannot be altered

2. Which contributes to a positive school culture?

a. Growth mind set c. Authoritarian leadership
b. Exclusivity d. Low expectations

3. Which form part of the school culture?

I. Structure II. Resources III. Practices IV. School Climate

a. I and II c. II and III

b. I, II and III d. I, II, III and IV

4. School heads respects academic time so she does not just call on teachers
during class hours. Which element of a positive school culture is illustrated?
a. Tradition c. Protection of what is important
b. Collegiality d. High expectation

5. Complete the analogy. Positive culture: Growth mindset;

Toxic Culture: _____________
a. Inclusivity c. Resignation to failure
b. Exclusivity d. Team work

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